Soft windshields

woodranch · #1 03-13-2007, 12:29 PM

Is it just my car or do you have issues to.I have a 03 4.6 and I get more rock chips in my windshield then any other car I have owned.Is this glass unusually soft and do they make a better windshieds that will not take such abuse.

cpatzer · #2 03-13-2007, 12:52 PM

I got a rock chip in my 05 4.4 the first day I owned it *#%$()*$)% Once replace through BMW Seattle, I haven't had one yet in over 1.3 years (crossing fingers).

RUSTY · #3 03-13-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpatzer

I got a rock chip in my 05 4.4 the first day I owned it *#%$()*$)% Once replace through BMW Seattle, I haven't had one yet in over 1.3 years (crossing fingers).

Hi cpatzer, I know how you feel, my last 3 BMWs got "rocks" in the first week! I picked up my X5 in January, and the day after (!) I got the "traditional" rock!

Well - it must be something with a kind of good luck sign from above, and I hope that I will enjoy this car as much as I did the E34 and E39.

Note that damages bigger than an eye means that the windshield MUST be replaced shortly, as the repair won´t last very long.

And yes, BMW windshields are soft and looks like sandblasted after 1-2 years.

gregwx5 · #4 03-13-2007, 12:57 PM

I agree...my winshield is terribly pitted!

X5Jay · #5 03-13-2007, 01:17 PM

I have the same issues with my windshield. Anyone know to what extent the damage has to be before ins. will cover replacement? I have 2 small (about 1/16")rock chips about 1/4" apart from each other. While they're small, they're right in my line of sight and very annoying...

X5 in AK · #6 03-13-2007, 02:05 PM

Rock chips and pitting are usually two different issues. If a rock hits the windshield with enough force, it will chip (star, crack, whatever you want to call it) regardless of how 'hard' the glass is.
Pitting, or your windshield looking like it was sandblasted, probably is a function of glass quality. The windshield on my '85 728i was terribly pitted when I bought it as a 12 year old car, so bad that I couldn't see out it when the sun hit it just right. No rock chips, though. I had a new PPG windshield installed, no problems after 6 years. Still looks new.

So if you have a sandblasted looking windshield, I would vote for poor glass quality. A rock chipped windshield, that's just bad luck.

X5 in AK · #7 03-13-2007, 02:17 PM

Oh yeah, if you get a rock chip, take your car to a place that fixes rock chips (Novus) to get it fix before the crack spreads. Its cheap, $40 or so. Check your insurance for coverage, but you may be better off paying out of pocket because the insurance will listed the $40 chip repair as a 'collision' on your policy, making it look like you ran into somebody.

msammy · #8 03-13-2007, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5 in AK

Rock chips and pitting are usually two different issues. If a rock hits the windshield with enough force, it will chip (star, crack, whatever you want to call it) regardless of how 'hard' the glass is.
Pitting, or your windshield looking like it was sandblasted, probably is a function of glass quality. The windshield on my '85 728i was terribly pitted when I bought it as a 12 year old car, so bad that I couldn't see out it when the sun hit it just right. No rock chips, though. I had a new PPG windshield installed, no problems after 6 years. Still looks new.

So if you have a sandblasted looking windshield, I would vote for poor glass quality. A rock chipped windshield, that's just bad luck.

I have a sandblasted-looking windshield and you guys are going to think I'm crazy as to what I'm about to suggest. I hate seeing my X5 dirty during the winter months up here in the Northeast (where they heavily sand & salt the roads during snowstorms), so I frequent a new super high-pressure, touchless car wash after each and every snow storm. When they first installed this new car wash during the summer, I was especially impressed on how clean the X was after a 4 minute high-pressure wash. Now it's winter, and every carwash in our area is required to recycle water (as per law). Well, I wonder how much filtering is going on with this dirty; sand & salt infested water during the wash cycle. After a wash last month, as I pulled out into the street to drive away, I noticed a "starfield" of small pitts on my windshield that would rival some planetariums. Boy was I PO'd. A few days later, I noticed small pits & tiny dents on the hood surface and rear hatch - like I was doing 70 mph in reverse and hit a stone??? It's got to be this car wash. When I attempted to contact the owner of the car wash/gas station, his response was "the sign says enter at your own risk". Nice. Anyway, I'm curious, anyone else out there with a pitted windshield frequent a high-pressure car wash, or am I and my theory just plain crazy?

SilverBullet · #9 03-13-2007, 09:31 PM

I have a few rock chips.

X5 in AK · #10 03-13-2007, 09:35 PM

I would say that you are correct, the car wash did it. Which doesn't make you feel any better, or your X look any better. I have a friend in Minnesota that owns a gas station/ car wash, and having helped him work on it, I can tell you that if the owner of your car wash isn't keeping up on his filter maintenance, then lots of dirty water is getting cycled thru.

I can't think of any good options to persue, other than make a really huge stink about it. Or make friends with a lawyer. Or a hit man.